A conductor leaned out of the hissing train. "Last call! All aboard!" His English words pulled me out of my sadness, and I stopped crying.

"Go on, darling, you don't want to miss the train. I love you!" Mama pried me off her and I boarded the train. As it lurched into movement, I felt a wave of loneliness.

"Miss? Please find a seat." The conductor nodded to me.

"Oh- Okay." I smiled slightly, and nodded back.

I stood in the corridor, other students bustling around me. The train was a small one- the main English school, Hogwarts, was not for elemental magic, and most children went there. Fingering my wand, I found an empty compartment and sat down. My cat, Salem, a gift from my father, curled on my lap.

Two girls came in. "Mind if we sit here?" one asked, flipping back her blond hair.

I shrugged. "Be my guest. " I was pleased to notice that I had no accent from my last 4 years in Turkey.

"Are you from here? What's your name? How old are you?" The other girl asked. She was petite, a delicately built brunette.

"Mariona!" The other girl sighed, exasperated. "Sorry," she added to me.

I laughed at her inquisitive personality lightly. "To answer your questions, I am half from here. My parents are Turkish. I was born here in England, but I spent my last four years in Turkey. My name is Kara. I'm nine years."

"I'm Mariona, and this is Emma." Mariona said, gesturing to her friend. Emma was taller, slim, with a blunt chin, blue eyes, and blond hair. She seemed very calm, happy almost, content.

"We're neighbors, you see, and- for 6 years- friends." Emma said.

"I wish I had a friend like that," I smiled. "My brothers- there are 5 of them- they go here, but I hardly expect they'll talk to me."